WIMBLEDON, England  The computer says Roger Federer is No. 1. The rest of the world might disagree.

Rafael Nadal sewed up the unofficial top ranking Sunday at Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 win as darkness fell, finally prying apart Federer's five-year stranglehold on the All England Club title.

"The worst opponent on the best court," said grass-court king Federer, who had not lost on the surface since 2002 and saw his record 65-match streak snapped on his beloved Centre Court. Also cut short: his chance to surpass his and Bjorn Borg's Open era (since 1968) mark of five consecutive titles.

The four-hour, 48-minute match was the longest final in Wimbledon history and stamped this rivalry as one for the ages. Nadal, 22, of Spain, became the first man since Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. Last month Nadal dominated Federer in the Roland Garros final, winning 6-1, 6-3, 6-0.

Federer, 26, was assured of staying No. 1 by reaching the last eight, but his record 232-week grip on the top position is weakening and could be gone this summer. Nadal, who became No. 2 in July 2005, has held that spot for an unprecedented 155 weeks.

Now the rivalry turns to cement as the circuit transitions to the North American hard-court swing, which concludes with August's U.S. Open, where Federer is the four-time defending champ. Nadal has never gone past the quarterfinals.

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